Job Title: Operations Assistant / Manager

Reporting to: CEO
Date of Issue: July 2024

The Role

Teac Tom (The Thomas Hayes Trust CLG) is a community-based mental health charity that provides support to those struggling with their mental health. We provide suicide intervention services and support for those who are contemplating or bereaved by suicide. We also provide play therapy, group therapy, and family support services in a safe, caring, and professional setting.

Founder and CEO Angela Hayes set up Teac Tom in response to the tragic death of her own son Thomas in 2011, on the anniversary of his dad’s death. Angela saw a need in the community for accessible and affordable support for those who were in crisis or struggling with their mental health. Teac Tom has been operating in Kilkenny city since 2015.

Teac Tom is currently recruiting an Operations assistant/Manager who will be deployed to manage the establishment and operationalising. We are seeking a creative, dynamic and diverse person to lead on this.

The Operations assistant/Manager will initially have overall responsibility for the, coordination and delivery of the Teac Tom support service, focusing on ensuring the provision of a high-quality service and leading, supporting and supervising our staff to work to their fullest potential. This role will involve mentoring and supporting colleagues with an aim of collaboratively embedding the values of Teac Tom. The Manager will also lead the team in mapping out successful fundraising and awareness campaigns while fostering strong collaborative relationships within Teac Tom and our partners.

Our Values, Our Work, Our People

Our Vision

Encourage the building of community resilience in the fight against suicide, to decrease incidents of suicide in Kilkenny, Laois and its environs.

Our Mission

The aim of the Thomas Hayes Trust is to provide support to individuals and families/friends who are affected by loss, through suicide, or those considering suicide and to contribute to the prevention of suicide in the community.

The THT will undertake this objective through the provision of free counselling, education, a drop in support service in the Teac Tom Centre, and a public awareness campaign and to promote positive mental health.

The trust uses in an interagency approach and will collaborate with those who are concerned with mental health awareness and suicide prevention in Kilkenny, Laois and its environs.

The Teac Tom Model is built on:

• Respect - Accept each person as equal, and unique.
• Integrity - Be transparent in all the charity’s actions ensuring Trust is of upmost importance.
• Quality – Deliver beneficial services which are provided by appropriate people, based on international best practice and in line with national and local strategies in a safe and nurturing environment.

Strong human relationships form the basis for the Teac Tom Model. These relationships are established on how we understand and respect those we work with and how we respond so that we positively impact people’s lives.

Our Team - is supported by regular support and supervision

• CEO
• Clinical Manager
• Office manager

Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership and management

• To lead the Teac Tom Team and to build capacity within the team
• To participate in the recruitment and induction of staff and volunteers as appropriate
• To manage and provide support and supervision to the staff and volunteers of the service
• To model leadership behaviours and embed a positive values led culture

Service Management

• To ensure the day-to-day operations of the service run smoothly and in accordance with the policies and procedures of Teac Tom
• To carry out administrative and financial procedures in accordance with organisation policies
• To ensure that administration and recording systems are developed and in place and appropriately operated
• To oversee the use the database systems in place
• To ensure that all incidents, emergencies, events and handovers are recorded using the recording systems in place
• To work in line with QUADS (National Quality Standards Framework for Alcohol & Drugs)
• To process and deal with complaints in line with policy and procedure
• To provide regular reports on performance and other issues, as required

Client services

• To ensure a safe, welcoming and friendly environment is established and maintained in the operation of the service
• To ensure that assessments are carried out in a professional, sensitive and appropriate manner with the S&R
• To be proactive in addressing difficult or problematic situations as they arise in a sensitive and direct manner within the frame work of the organisational policies and procedures
• To ensure that appropriate and effective procedures are in place for communication and consultation with clients including supporting the organisations policy of encouraging client involvement in a wide variety of ways.

Interagency

• To work effectively and in collaboration with local agencies
• To communicate effectively and respectfully with colleagues and clients
• To develop and maintain positive and mutually beneficial relationships with relevant external agencies
• To contribute to the fostering of positive relations with the local community
• To report on work and activities to funders as appropriate

Health and Safety

• To ensure that health and safety standards are maintained and adhere to Teac Tom Safety Statement and related policies and procedures at all times
• To ensure that domestic, health, and hygiene standards in Teac Tom premises are safe and maintained to the highest standards.
• To contribute to the development and operating of Health and Safety procedures and practices across the Teac Tom premsises, including office spaces and therapy rooms.

General

• To work positively and effectively as a member of a team and the wider Organisation
• To attend and contribute to meetings as required
• To participate in regular supervision and annual appraisal and assist in job-related training needs
• To continue to learn and develop professionally through participating in training and workshops
• To ensure adherence within the service at all times to the Teac Tom Child Protection and Welfare Policy & Procedure and the Children First Guidelines
• To ensure that confidentiality is maintained in accordance with the Teac Tom Data Protection Policies and Procedures and agreed information sharing protocols
• To adhere to all of Teac Tom’s policies and procedures
• To carry out any other reasonable duties as requested

This job description will be subject to review to take account of any changes necessary in response to changing needs and development of the services over time.

Key Terms and Conditions

Frequency of Work: 39 hours per week
Contract Period: 1 year, fixed term
Salary/Pay-scale: €40,000 - €45,000
Method of Pay: Monthly by credit transfer
Annual Leave: 20 days per annum pro rata

Person Specification

The ideal candidate will have:

• A minimum of two years’ experience of working in a management role in a comparable area of work (Mental health services, homeless services, community services, addiction services etc.)
  AND
• A minimum of three years’ experience of working with vulnerable communities
  AND
• A recognised third level qualification (minimum level 8) in Social Care or equivalent
• A minimum of two years’ specific experience of working with people experiencing social disadvantage
• A commitment to the Vision, Mission and Values of Teac Tom and to the achievement of the Organisation’s strategic goals

Core competencies:

• An ability to develop and promote a culture of understanding, ownership and delivery of the Organisation’s vision
• A commitment to collaborating with other agencies and services in the delivery of this organisational vision
• An ability to build, maintain and positive effective relationships and networks
• An ability to take responsibility for service delivery and outcomes
• A commitment to encouraging and promoting a healthy working environment which fosters trust, respect and hard work
• Innovation in identifying new ways of work with, liaise with and engage with clients
• An ability to solve complex problems, creating effective and innovative solutions
• Professionalism and role modelling positive professional behaviours
• Promotion of a culture of high level trust and integrity
• Encouragement of staff to identify strengths and focus on progress, despite the challenges they face
• An ability to remain calm and composed within a demanding and stressful environment and situations, focusing on tasks and goals and role modelling effective management of challenging situations to staff
• An ability to model the highest standards of professional practice and encourage others to strive for the same

Applicants must be prepared to complete a Garda Vetting application Form after the interview has been completed.

Please email CV to thethomashayestrust 

Closing date for receipt of applications is 31s July 2024
Interview will be held at the end of August 2024

This is a fixed term full time position on an annual rolling contract basis with a probationary period of 6 months.

N.B.  The continuity of the contract is subject to receipt of annual funding allocation. In the event that there is a difficulty securing funding The Thomas Hayes Trust CLG reserves the right to alter/terminate your contract earlier than the expected date.

THT is an Equal Opportunities Employer